Expat Club trips
Bavarian Castles trip, according to an 8-year-old kid
Expat Club's Bavarian Castles trip is a perfect destination for guests of all ages. In fact, this is one of those trips that is extremely suitable for children. Now, we as adults may think so, but what would a child actually say? I investigated as I took my own 8-year-old son to the last edition of this trip.
The 9 Must-See Castles of Bavaria
One of the top bucket-list destinations in Europe is Bavaria, and in particular, the impressive number of stunning castles you can visit in and around Munich. The spotlight of these castle tours is on those built by King Ludwig II. His palaces get a lot of the hype due to his own eccentric persona, the attention to detail in their construction, and just how over-the-top they were. Ludwig II died at age 40, so he didn’t have much time to build more than the 3 castles that still exist today: Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee, and Linderhof. In fact, the first two were not even finished. There are a lot more castles and palaces to discover than those of Ludwig II (which you should anyway visit, because, wow). Every year, we visit 9 of these fabulous castles, each one unique and full of unb...
5 Interesting Facts about Chernobyl
Thirty-four years later, the Chernobyl disaster continues to be a topic of great discussion. It has come to the forefront once more, thanks to the HBO series released in 2019 and the burgeoning tourism industry in the area. Here are five interesting facts about Chernobyl
Is it safe to visit Chernobyl?
When you think about visiting a place like Chernobyl, the primary and immediate question on your mind is: Can I safely visit an area where nobody is allowed to live? The short answer is, yes, provided you take the necessary precautions. Here are some very important things to consider before you visit Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone.
Trip review: Kiev & Chernobyl
At Expat Club we put an incredible variety of destinations on our trip calendar, including some awesome industrial places. Would you like to have some examples? What about car factories? We visited the Audi plant in Brussels several times to live observe the A1 production. Also, we travelled the Netherlands for an exclusive visit to the Tesla factory. So cool to test drive their P90d model in ludicrous mode (google it if you don’t know what that means). We also several times explored the Port of Rotterdam, until recently the world’s largest harbour. Seeing the world’s largest crane, largest ship, and also the largest refinery, is something you don’t do every day. And what to think about a midnight visit to Europe’s largest shipment facility from UPS at Cologne...
Top 11 things that can go wrong in Venice
Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but it's also one of the few that can bring about many holiday irritations. Here are some of those pesky little details that can spoil your Venice experience and how Expat Club takes that worry away!
There’s no party like a Venice Carnival party
The Venice Carnival is a celebration unlike any other. Elaborate costumes and masks adorn the streets of the fabulous destination once a year. We love the colourful display and that's why we choose to travel there during that period of time. Here's a snapshot of one of the activities during our trip, the masked gala ball!
Time is of the essence, so read this post
Have you ever boarded a flight on time and then had to wait passed the planned departure time due to unforeseen circumstances? Sometimes the flight needs to wait in the queue of takeoffs. Other times is a technical issue, which is probably the most nervewracking of them all! And then, there’s the missing passenger situation. I’ve been on flights where you can almost feel the tension when a missing passenger finally makes it onto the plane. Shooting daggers is one way to describe the look of fellow passengers waiting onboard. These late passengers can even have a justifiable reason beyond their control like their previous flight had a delay. And still, this can be and most of the times really is frustrating for those already waiting onboard. When you organize trips for large g...
A Little Louvre in Lens
With more than 10 million visitors a year, the Louvre is the world’s most visited museum. It’s also the world’s largest, so it’s not surprising that it can be a bit overwhelming. But if you want to see some of the world’s great treasures, you don’t have to venture into Paris. The Louvre has smaller museums in Abu Dhabi and Lens, Pas-de-Calais, a mining town located about 200 kilometres north of Paris. In October, Expat Club journeyed to Lens. The Louvre-Lens is the baby brother of the Louvre and home to 200 masterpieces on loan from the Louvre Museum in Paris. From a Coal Mine to a Museum The Louvre-Lens opened in 2012, transforming a former coal mine into a regional jewel. The museum was built in Lens to re-energize the city and give it an economic boost. It’s also part of France’...
It’s not about the drinking and all about the experience
Many of our trips revolve around certain famous alcoholic beverages, but our mission is very clear. We provide experiences and opportunities for discovery, not wild drinking parties. Here are some interesting facts about these particular themed trips and why you should consider them in your travel plans, even when you're not an alcohol drinker.
Bastogne Trip Review
You never know what surprises are in store when you travel on an Expat Club trip. Our day trip to Bastogne was no exception. Expat Club founder Edgar Hütte arranged for the “greatest living expert” on the Battle of the Bulge (as proclaimed by General Graham Hollands) to be our guide for the day. Martin King is a military historian, lecturer, author and TV personality. For more than two decades, the Emmy award-winning television personality has accompanied veterans on tours of the battlefields of World War II, bringing history to life with his insightful explanations of what transpired in the dark days of the War. His level of expertise on Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge is impressive and unmatched. We realised just how lucky we were to have him present this area to us! His unique stor...
Trip Review: Chateaus of the Loire Valley
Nowhere is the sheer opulence of French life in centuries past more apparent than in the chateaux of the Loire Valley. Each year, more than 3.3 million travelers visit the 42 chateaux that comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Yet, there are more than 300 chateaux scattered across the Valley. It’s no surprise that the region is the nation’s second-biggest tourist attraction behind Paris. Most of the chateaux were constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. They offered royalty and noblemen a welcome escape from Parisian politics. Over Bastille Day weekend, they offered 26 Expat Club members a romantic glimpse into the past. DAY ONE We were ready to start on a “chateaux sampler,” discovering the magic and mystery of these elegant edifices. Our luxury coach arrive...